I Love Rock 'n Roll (album)

I Love Rock 'n Roll is the second studio album by Joan Jett and the first with her backing band the Blackhearts. The album was recorded during the summer of 1981 and was released on November 18 of that year. Soon after the first recording sessions at Soundworks Studios, original Blackheart guitarist Eric Ambel was replaced by Ricky Byrd.[1] It is Jett's most commercially successful album to date with over a million copies sold,[1] largely due to the success of the title track, which was released as a single soon after the album was released.

I Love Rock 'n Roll
Studio album by
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
ReleasedNovember 18, 1981 (1981-11-18)
RecordedJune–September 1981
StudioKingdom Sound Studios and Soundworks Studios (Long Island, New York)
Genre
Length30:02
LabelBoardwalk
Producer
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts chronology
Bad Reputation
(1980)		 I Love Rock 'n Roll
(1981)		 Album
(1983)
Singles from I Love Rock 'n Roll
  1. "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
    Released: January 20, 1982
  2. "Crimson and Clover"
    Released: April 1982
  3. "Summertime Blues"
    Released: 1982 (Canada only)

Background and recording

Joan Jett saw "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" performed on TV by Arrows in 1976 and was taken away by the song.[2] It was a staple of her set list for years before the album was recorded.[2]

Along with the Arrows song, plenty of other covers populated the album: "Nag" (originally by the Halos),"Bits and Pieces" (the Dave Clark Five), "You're Too Possessive" (the Runaways), and "Crimson and Clover" (Tommy James & the Shondells). Of the last song, Jett later commented that "People worried that I didn't change the words in 'Crimson and Clover' to 'him' from 'her'. It was only because that wouldn't have rhymed."[2]

Other covers appeared in limited editions: "Louie Louie" (Richard Berry, later performed by the Kingsmen) and "Summertime Blues" (Eddie Cochran) were included as bonus tracks on the CD release, and the traditional Christmas carol "Little Drummer Boy" was a seasonal addition to the LP.

"I Love Rock 'n Roll" was made at a vigorous pace. "During the weekdays we'd be in the studio and during the weekends we'd travel around the New York area, the Northeast, doing gigs," Jett recalled. "So we were doing both without really stopping. Which was good I thought, it really kept us together, it kept us sharp."[3]

Release

Early copies of the album released during December 1981 concluded with the track "Little Drummer Boy". However, after the holiday season, the track was replaced by the newly recorded "Oh Woe Is Me" on most pressings.[1] The LP saw a vinyl reissue in 2009 containing both "Little Drummer Boy", "Oh Woe Is Me", and the rehearsal version of "You Don't Know What You've Got" that was the original B-side to Boardwalk Records U.S. and Canadian issues of the "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" single. It was possible to acquire "Oh Woe Is Me" without purchasing a replacement album, as it was also released as the B-side of the "Crimson and Clover" single.

"Summertime Blues" was originally left off the vinyl LP, and Boardwalk passed on releasing it as an official commercial single. Instead, Boardwalk placed the song as the B-side of "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)", in a promo-only 12-inch release (Boardwalk NB-019-S-5) sent to US rock radio stations. Many DJs and programmers preferred the B-side however, and "Summertime Blues" became a Most Added listing. (The A-side nonetheless peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.) The song was eventually released as a one-sided single in Canada and as a 12-inch single in Australia, accompanied by "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)".

In conjunction with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 18, 2015, exactly 33 ⅓ years after I Love Rock 'n' Roll was originally released on November 18, 1981, a 2CD/2LP titled I Love Rock 'n' Roll 33 ⅓ Anniversary Edition was released. This commemorative edition paired the original album with a second disc of previously unreleased live recordings made in New York from 1981.

Cover art

The portrait image used for the cover was taken by British photographer Mick Rock. It is widely considered one of the most iconic images in rock music history.[4][5] Rock has said his vision for the portrait was clear: "I saw her as a female Elvis".[4]

The styling played a part in Jett's overall appeal; Creem observed and asked rhetorically, "who ever said that dark bangs and well-applied mascara had nothing to do with rock 'n' roll?"[6] Sounds described her look as the classic "tomboy rock girl",[7] and quoted her regarding the record label's initial expectations:

"They wanted me to lie on a couch in leopardskin like Pat Benatar or something," she gasps, "You know I couldn't do anything like that!"[7]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
Smash Hits4/10[9]
The Village VoiceB+[10]

Creem's Mitchell Cohen gave I Love Rock 'n Roll a generally positive review, concluding that Jett "covers more ground than you might expect, and does so with contagious enthusiasm".[6] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice qualified his praise of the album, writing, "Covering the Dave Clark Five and 'Little Drummer Boy' on the same side is a great schlock yea-saying move, but a move is all it is—makes me want to hear the originals rather than play the side again"; he also felt that Jett's original compositions lacked "spark".[10]

Reviewing I Love Rock 'n Roll for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine said that the Blackhearts' backing gave the album "a more coherent sound" than that of Jett's previous album Bad Reputation, as well as "dimension".[8] While noting a relative lack of "strong songs", on the whole he found that the band's "muscular, gritty" playing makes I Love Rock 'n Roll "just as good as Bad Reputation."[8]

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
2:55
2."(I'm Gonna) Run Away"
2:28
3."Love Is Pain"Jett3:06
4."Nag"Arthur Crier2:43
5."Crimson and Clover"
3:16
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Victim of Circumstance"
  • Jett
  • Laguna
2:54
7."Bits and Pieces"
2:06
8."Be Straight"
2:41
9."You're Too Possessive"Jett3:35
10."Little Drummer Boy"
4:14
Total length:30:02
1992 remastered CD edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Oh Woe Is Me"Jett2:43
12."Louie Louie"Richard Berry2:49
13."You Don't Know What You Got" (live)
2:44
1998 remastered CD edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
14."Summertime Blues"
2:20
15."Nag" (previously unreleased version with The Coasters)Crier2:51
I Love Rock N Roll (33 1/3 Anniversary Edition), Disc 2 Live, New York, 1981
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
  • Hooker
  • Merrill
2:55
2."(I'm Gonna) Run Away"
  • Jett
  • Laguna
2:28
3."Love Is Pain"Jett3:06
4."Nag"Crier2:43
5."Crimson and Clover"
  • Tommy James
3:16
6."Victim of Circumstance"
  • Jett
  • Laguna
2:54
7."Bits and Pieces"
  • Clark
  • Smith
2:06
8."Be Straight"
  • Jett
  • Kihn
  • Laguna
2:41
9."You're Too Possessive"Jett3:35
10."Black Leather"
3:33
Total length:29:25

Personnel

The Blackhearts[1]

  • Ricky Byrd – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Gary Ryan – bass, backing vocals
  • Lee Crystal – drums, backing vocals

Additional musicians[1]

Production team[1]

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[25] Platinum 50,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[26] 2× Platinum 200,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[27] Gold 7,500^
United States (RIAA)[28] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Solazzi, Danny (1999). I Love Rock 'n Roll (CD booklet). Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. Germany: Sony Music Entertainment. 486509-2.
  2. Gross, Jonathan (June 1983). "Joan Jett: The Road Goes On Forever". The Record. Vol. 2, no. 8. Toronto. pp. 1, 10–11, 30.
  3. Lababedi, Iman (June 1982). "Joan Jett Is A Very Nice Girl". Creem. Detroit. Retrieved June 14, 2019 – via Rock's Backpages.
  4. Marikar, Sheila (December 9, 2011). "From Joan Jett to Lady Gaga: Mick Rock's Iconic Rock 'n' Roll Photos". abcnews.go.com. ABC News. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  5. Lecaro, Lina (December 21, 2010). "Mick Rock's Top 10 Iconic Rock Images, with Running Behind-the-Lens Commentary (and a Few Surprises)". LA Weekly. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  6. Cohen, Mitchell (March 1982). "Joan Jett: I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Boardwalk)". Creem. Detroit. Retrieved November 1, 2018 – via Rock's Backpages.
  7. Robertson, Sandy (May 8, 1982). "Joan Jett: Jett Set for Summer". Sounds. London. Retrieved November 3, 2018 – via Rock's Backpages.
  8. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "I Love Rock 'N' Roll – Joan Jett / Joan Jett & the Blackhearts". AllMusic. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
  9. Chissick, Rosalyn (April 29 – May 12, 1982). "Joan Jett & the Blackhearts: I Love Rock 'n Roll" (PDF). Smash Hits. Vol. 4, no. 9. Peterborough: EMAP National Publications, Ltd. p. 21. ISSN 0260-3004. Archived from the original on November 13, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2022 – via World Radio History.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  10. Christgau, Robert (February 15, 1982). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
  11. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  12. "Austriancharts.at – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts – I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  13. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0479". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  14. "Dutchcharts.nl – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts – I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  15. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  16. "Offiziellecharts.de – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts – I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  17. "Charts.nz – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts – I Love Rock 'n' Roll". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  18. "Norwegiancharts.com – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts – I Love Rock 'n' Roll". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  19. "Swedishcharts.com – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts – I Love Rock 'n' Roll". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  20. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  21. "Joan Jett the Blackhearts Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  22. "Top 100 Albums 82". RPM. Vol. 37, no. 19. December 25, 1982. p. 19. ISSN 0315-5994. Retrieved April 15, 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  23. "Top Selling Albums of 1982". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  24. "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1982". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 15, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  25. "Platinum and Gold Albums 1982". Kent Music Report. February 28, 1983. Retrieved December 26, 2022 – via Imgur.
  26. "Canadian album certifications – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts – I Love Rock 'n Roll". Music Canada.
  27. "New Zealand album certifications – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts – I Love Rock 'n Roll". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  28. "American album certifications – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts – I Love Rock 'n' Roll". Recording Industry Association of America.
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